Thai gear help

[phillyman]

Hey can someone give me a website to get good boxing/thai gear such as gloves and head gear/shinguards etc thank for the info

[rruffian]

Try the following web site: www.fairtex.com

[terry]

Thai Gear Help

I have found the leather thai pads made in Thailand to be very good for people of smaller stature (under 220 lbs). I've had ones from Windy, Thaismai, and they're all good. One thing to watch out for is how the seam on the front of the pad that will be closest to the kicker. If this seam is poorly constructed or too square it can lead to problems.

One thing to look out for is the length of the Thai pad. Essentially, it should match the length of your forearm. If it is too short you run the risk of an elbow injury. I got mine in Thailand and had them specially made to match my forearm length. (Note: if you buy them in Thailand you will probably want to employ a translator who is willing to assist you in haggling with vendors.)

However, if you are holding for a guy over about 220 lbs and a hard kicker the red Permabilt pads are the way to go. The lighter pads for these guys cause too much injury in the joints of the pad holder. This is especially an issue for professional trainers that absorb this impact for hours every day.

Another thing I would recommend is getting shin pads and a belly pad for trainers. The belly pad is great for throwing body punches knees and kicks into. The shin pads can be used by beginners whose shins aren't hard and old trainers like me who no longer heal as fast as when they were in their 20s and 30s. If you do get shin pads make sure the length is long enough to cover your patellar tendon. You can condition your shins through kicking, but you cannot condition your patellar tendon.

Finally, hand-wraps should also be mentioned. Use the stretchy gauze-like mexican-style ones, not the thick, inflexible cloth ones made by EverLast.

Regards,

Terry

[phillyman]

Thanks for the info one question or 2 rather where is that tendon located and also you mentioned pads but what about actual gloves?

[terry]

Originally posted by phillyman
Thanks for the info one question or 2 rather where is that tendon located and also you mentioned pads but what about actual gloves?

Oh, sure. The patellar tendon is found between (just below) your patella (kneecap) and your tibia (shin bone). I think I referred to that in discussing the length of shin pads (not too short).

Gloves? The answer kind of depends on whether you're hitting pads, sparring or fighting in a competition. You may wind up, like me, with a pair for each activity. For sparring in the gym I like the ones you can get on and off quickly (so you don't waste time). These are the type that have a velcro strap rather than laces. For a match you may have to use the ones provided at the venue. I've seen some from mexico that are very nice (I can't remember the brand). Bag gloves? Hmm...I'm still lookin' myself, but I gravitate towards thicker, heavier ones.

Brands include: Fairtex, Windy, Thaismai, Permabilt (and probably several more). I would be reluctant to recommend a brand without making sure I had more data about the latest products. But as a consumer I would be less concerned about price than I would be about quality and safety. After all, one trip to an orthopedic surgeon will dwarf the cost of a good pair of gloves.

Regards,

Terry

[phillyman]

Thanks

Hey once again thanks for the info im looking more for in the gym gloves that i can use to hit pads and also spar not for competition i was looking at everlast but was getting confused by ones that say for training and ones that say sparring gloves as they look the same

[doubleouch]

be careful with everlast equipment. Some of it is good, but some of it is real shit! I bought a pair of training gloves that lasted about 2 weeks! Try ringside.com they make thai gear and boxing gear and everything is top quality. You won't find better anywhere. Their thai pads are very dense and have a thick leather covering. They are also extra wide.

[Fighter]

These are some of the sites others have mentioned them but they are good!

http://www.fairtex.com

http://www.ringside.com

Also Id try looking in a local MA magazine it should tell you, sometimes they have reviews.

[JIMI]

i have found THAI SMAI to be a great deal on stuff. not sure what thier website is but if you type thai smai in search it should find it. its got a great section that you can design your own shorts to the T. its excellent and doesnt cost that much. they are out of thailand so im not sure how long it takes to get an order though.

[jonprc]

ive found cheap/quality twins and thaismai gear at www.muaythaiboxinggear.com

[Brian]

I personally use a website called www.ambersports.com I really like their stuff for the price. I have a pair of Fairtex Thai Pads that I really like but they cost me a lot. I also use Twins Bag Goves and they too were more expensive. I have a Century Heavy Bag (Thai Style) that was pretty affordible and I've been pounding it along side all of my students for two years now without any problems... Heck, the steel hanging support is about to wear through and the bag's still going strong.

But when I get ready for my fights I live in my 16 oz. Amber Boxing Gloves. I also have a pair of 12 oz. amature fight gloves from Amber as well as head gear and a suitcase bag. I haven't put too much milage on the 12 oz. and the suitgace bag but the 16 oz gloves have been like a second skin for the last two years. They're dinged up a bit but I've put them through rigorous rounds. I'd recommend them to anyone. I also use the Amber focus mitts. I like them alot but some of the stiching came out of the thumb and first finger fairly early on. They're still useable but I'd like them alot better if they'd stayed stiched.

Oh, one more thing. The guys at Amber have some of the most incredible customer service in the game. They've bent over backwards to make me happy. In fact with an Order I just sent in they were out of 8 oz uniforms so they are going to send me 12 oz uniforms at no additional charge. They've done many things just like this for me in the past.

For what it's worth.